Such a fence is known from EP 472,760 A1. In the known fence, the lattice panels comprise vertical bars, to which horizontal bars are attached on both sides at the same height. The bars consist of directional round steel wires of a diameter of 4 to 10 mm which are connected to one another at the intersection points by resistance welding. However, the invention is not restricted to this design of the lattice panels. Other cross sections can also be used as round material, and the horizontal bars attached in pairs can be replaced by profile material which gives increased bending strength in a horizontal plane, for example bars with a rectangular cross section, with a U-shaped cross section or the like.
In the generic fence, the posts can consist of a rectangular hollow profile; in this case, the hooks are attached on the front side of the hollow profile. However, the posts can also themselves consist of lattice-work; in this case, the hooks are formed by a forwardly projecting extension of horizontal lattice bars of the post. In the known embodiment, the hooks comprise a horizontal fastened leg and an upwardly angled free leg, of which the distance from the front side of the post corresponds to the outer width of two horizontal bars of the lattice panels, said horizontal bars being adjacent to one another at the same height. The lattice panels are suspended in the hooks by means of the horizontal bars and are Subsequently fixed by screws, in such a way that the double horizontal bars or the lattice panels are prevented from being removed from the hooks again. In one embodiment, after the suspension of the lattice panels the free ends of the hooks are bent over the horizontal bars in order to fix these vertically.
The known type of connection of the lattice panels to the posts, although simple, nevertheless has disadvantages. One disadvantage is that there is no guarantee that the horizontal bars will be retained under tension. They still have some play perpendicular to the fence surface on the hooks, which means that vibrations occurring under the influence of wind lead to unpleasant buzzing noises. The same is true when, for example, a ball strikes the lattice panel.
In the embodiment in which fixing is carried out by bending the free legs of the hooks, the corrosion protection of the lattice panels is put to risk. These are exposed to atmospheric conditions for many years and are carefully protected against corrosion correspondingly, for example by galvanizing and a plastic powder coating laid over this. These corrosion protection measures are impaired if the upwardly directed free legs of the hooks are bent round toward the front side of the post, whether by means of a tool or, as cannot be ruled out in practice, by means of a hammer. In this case considerable expansion of the coating occurs, and these overtax its expandability and adhesion and cause local cracks and perforations as well as peeling of the coatings. These places are the starting point for corrosion and can hardly be repaired effectively.